Wall fixture



Aug. 22, 1939. A, w, SPENCER 2,170,465

WALL FIXTURE Filed May 14, 1938 Patented Aug. 22, 1939 WALL FIXTUREAllard W. Spencer, Winchester, Mass., assignor to J. P. EustisManufacturing Company, Cambridge, Mass., a. corporation of MassachusettsApplication May 14,

4 Claims.

Ihis invention relates to bathroom and other wall fixtures of the typecomprising a wall portion adapted to be attached permanently to the walland a detachable portion interengageable with the wall portion. Objectsof the invention are to provide a Xture which is neat and attractive inappearance, which is simple and economical in construction, which can beconstructed and installed with facility, which is substantial anddurable in use, which can be installed without scratching the wall,which can not be displaced accidentally, and which is generally superiortol prior fixtures of the class referred to.

According to this invention the detachable portion comprises a cover forthe Wall portion, the cover having a rearwardly projecting shank forengagement in a slot in the wall portion, the rear end of the shankbeing wider than a portion intermediate the end and cover and the wallplate having a slot to receive said intermediate portion. The slot ispreferably in. the form of a keyhole slot but in any event a portion ofthe slot has a width less than the width of said end. The aforesaidshank is preferably in the form of a screw, the head of which engagesbehind the wall portion on opposite sides of said slot with the threadedportion extending through the cover plate into a bracket or othersupport, 3.0 whereby the screw also serves to mount the bracket on thecover.

To mount the cover over the wall plate the cover is slipped over theplate with the screw head engaged as aforesaid. The cover preferably hasa peripheral ange completely surrounding the wall plate. To prevent theperipheral flange from'scratching the Wall as the cover is sipped intoplace, the wall plate is pro-vided with bearing surfaces extendingylengthwise of the slot, on opposite sides of the slot, to engage therear 'face of the cover and hold it out of contact with the wall. Saidsurfaces are preferably provided by bending up the margins of the Wallplate in the form of flanges.

To hold the cover in position the wall plate is provided with a detent,preferably in the form of an integral tongue inclining outwardly fromthe wall to snap behind the aforesaid peripheral flange. The tongue mayhave a shoulder near its free end for engagement behind the flange andthe cover may have an opening to receive the tip of the tongue, wherebythe tip is accessible for disengaging the tongue when it is desired toremove the cover and bracket.

For the purpose of illustration typical em- 1938, Serial No. 208,033

bodirnents of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention appliedto a Wall;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section with a part of the bracket brokenaway;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal central section with a part of the bracket brokenaway;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the part of the fixture which ispermanently attached to the wall;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modied part fastened to a wall; and

Fig. 6 is a central horizontal section of the modiiication shown in Fig.5.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 4comprises a wall portion I for permanent attachment to the wall and adetachable portion comprising a bracket 2 and a base or cover plate 3secured together by means of a screw 4 extending from the rear throughan opening in the plate 3 and thence threading into the inner end of thebracket 2. A lock washer 5 is interposed between the head of the screwand the base 3 to prevent accidental rotation of the screw and also tohold the head of the screw in spaced relation to the inner face of thebase 3.

The wall portion I comprises a plate having lateral flanges 6 at thesides and having' its central portion 'I embossed to provide a recess 8on its rear side.

For detachably receiving the Fig. 2.

Mounted in the recess 8, preferably by spot welding, are Z-shaped armsIl with which the plate may be mounted in a recess in the wall by meansof cement or other plastic material applied through the opening 8.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, where the partscorresponding to parts of Figs. l to 4 are correspondingly numbered, theplate I is mounted on the wall by means of screws I2 and nuts I3 insteadof the arms II, the boss I being shaped somewhat differently toaccommodate the heads of the screws I2.

The base 3 is cup-shaped and large enough to On its outer face it isprovided with a channel I4 substantially equal in Width to the inner endof the bracket 2, thereby to prevent rotation of the bracket about theaxis of the screw whe-n the bracket is drawn snugly into the channel bythe screw. The peripheral flange I5 of the base 3 has a depth slightlyless than that of the flanges 6 on the wall fixture I so that, when thedetachable portion 2-3-4 is slipped downwardly over the wall space I,the peripheral flange I5 is held by the flanges 6 in slightly spacedrelationship to the wall so as not to scratch the wall in mounting thebracket on the wall plate. end of the channel I4 the base 3 is recessedto receive the tip end of the tongue- 9 which is bent outwardly to causethe shoulder IIJ to snap be- Y,

hind the flange I5 when the bracket is slipped downwardly upon the wallfixture. The tip of the tongue 9 which extends downwardly beyond Y theshoulder I is slightly longer than the thickness of the metal of thebase 3 so that the tongue may be pressed inwardly by a screw driver orthe like to remove the bracket. Even though the tip end of the tongueprojects slightly beyond the bottom of the channel I4 it does notproject beyond the outer faces ofthe portions of flange I5 Von either'side of the channel. Preferab-lythe resilient tongue 9 inclinesoutwardly enough to exert considerable outward pressure against the base3 even after the tongue snaps outwardly into locking position, therebyto hold the head of the screw snugly against the back of plate '1.However by 'accurately dimensioning the parts Y the screw head is heldsnugly against the plate by the flanges 5 bearing` against the back ofthe base 3. Thus the bracket may be mounted snugly in position withoutVany wedging action in the mounting process and without forcing the base3 against thewall. By spacing' the flanges 6 so that they are juxtaposedto the sides of the peripheral flange I5 they also serve to preventrotation of the cover plate 3 relatively to the wall plate I about anaxis perpendicular to the wall.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes allmoolif-lcatic'ms and equivalents which fall within the scope of theappended claims..

I claim: l. A wall fixture comprising a wall plate and a detachablecover for said plate, the cover having a rearwardly projecting shank therear end of which is wider than a vportion intermediate said end andcover and the'wall plate having a slot to receive said portion, aportion of the slot having a width less than the width of said end,whereby the cover may be detachably mounted on the plate by movement ofthe cover lengthwise of the slot, said cover having a peripheral At thelower flange extending' toward the wall around said plate and the platehaving an outwardly inclined detent to engage behind said flange whenthe cover is slipped over said plate, the edge of the ange having ashallow recess to receive the tip of the detent to` give access to thedetent without substantially exposing the detent to View.

2. A wall fixture comprising a wall plate and a detachable cover forsaid plate, the cover having a rearwardly projecting shank the rear endof which is wider than a portion intermediate saidrend and cover and thewall plate having a l slot to receive said portion, a portion of theslot -having a width less than the width of said end, Y whereby thecover may be detachably mounted on the plateby movement of the coverlengthwise of the slot, said cover having a peripheral flange extendingtoward the wall around said vplate Iand the plate having an outwardlyinclined tongue provided with a shoulder to snap behind said yflangewhen the cover is slipped over said plate, said flange having an openingand the tip of the tongue projecting through the opening.

3. A wall fixture comprising a wall plate and a detachable cover forsaid plate, the cover having a rearwardly projecting shank with a headon its rear end and the wall plate having a slot to receive said shank,Vsaid cover having a peripheral flange extending toward the wall aroundsaid plate and operative substantially to conceal the edge of theplate-the plate having substantially parallel forwardly directed spacingflanges at its lateralV edges, said spacing flanges being of afront-to-rear depth slightly greater than. the depth of the peripheralflange of the cover and being operative by engagement with the rearsurface of the cover -tol prevent said flange from scratching the wallas the `cover is slipped into position lengthwise of said slot.

4. A -wall fixture comprising a wall plate and a detachable cover forsaid plate, the cover having a rearwardly projecting shank with a headon its rear end and the wall plate having a slot to receive Vsaid shank,said cover having'a peripheral flange extending toward the wall aroundsaid plate VandV operative substantially to conceal the edge of theplate, the plate having forwardly directed spacers for engagement withthe rearwardly directed surface of the cover to pre- Vent said flangefrom scratching the wall as the cover is slipped into positionvlengthwise of the slot, said spacers having surfaces bearing on therear face of the cover Von opposite sides of said slot to preventtippingof the cover laterally of the slot and Jalso bearing on the coverabove and Vbelow the level of the slot Vto prevent tipping of the cover'lengthwise of the slot. Y

ALLARD vW. SPENCER.

